| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Aviation
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the likely overall change in cost to the British Aviation Industry as a result of increased charges by the European Aviation Safety Agency. [90619]
Gillian Merron: The Commission Regulation setting out the European Aviation Safety Agency's charges was amended in late May 2006 as part of a package of emergency measures to meet a predicted shortfall in the Agency's 2006 budget. Other measures included a substantial increase in funding from the European Community budget and savings in Agency expenditure.
Increases in tariffs were limited to the very largest manufacturers in the Community. At the same time some fees for small enterprises were reduced and procedural changes made which eased the administrative burdens on all industry.
Given the varying effects of these changes and their emergency and temporary nature no estimate has been made of the overall effect on costs to the UK industry. A few of the largest manufacturers will be subject to the increased tariffs, but the overall package of measures has ensured that the Agency is now able to meet the current certification needs of UK industry as a whole without costly delay.
The Agency has taken steps to put future budgeting on a firmer footing, including the identification of long term amendments to its fee structure to be put in place next year. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has seconded an expert to support the Agency's work in this area.
Bembridge Harbour
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the audited accounts from the Bembridge Harbour Improvement Company for each of the last 10 financial years were received by his Department in accordance with the Bembridge Harbour Acts. [91034]
Dr. Ladyman: The audited annual accounts for the year ending 31 March 2005 for the Bembridge Harbour Improvement Company were received on 25 August 2006. The Department has no record of receipt of accounts from Bembridge in the previous nine years.
Bus Regulations
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) scope and (b) timetable is for the review of bus regulations being undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [90745]
Gillian Merron: As announced to the Transport Select Committee on 28 June, I am taking a long, hard look at bus policy with the aim of taking decisions in the autumn on whether or not changes need to be made. I am looking at a whole range of issues surrounding bus services, discussing them with stakeholders and will be considering any recommendations from the Committee.
Carbon Emissions
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Department's working assumption is of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from a passenger mile for (a) trains and (b) cars. [91023]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department estimates that, based on average passenger loadings, a typical car emits 114 grammes of carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre and a typical train 49 grammes of carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre. The Department keeps both sets of figures under review to take account of changes to the car and train fleet and average passenger loadings.
Concessionary Fares
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on the provision of concessionary bus passes for people aged over 60. [90594]
Gillian Merron: Currently, persons aged 60 and over and disabled people are entitled to free off-peak bus travel within their local authority area. Local authorities can at their discretion offer enhancements to the statutory minimum entitlement, such as peak bus travel, concessions on other modes, and travel into neighbouring authorities. The entitlement will be extended from April 2008 to allow eligible people to travel off-peak on any local bus service in the country for free.
Galileo Satellite Project
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the UK not making the next payment due in relation to the Galileo Satellite Project; [90695]
(2) how much is required by 24 August from the UK Government to meet their commitment in relation to the Galileo Satellite Project; [90696]
(3) how much the UK has spent on its stake in the Galileo Satellite Project; [90697]
(4) what plans he has to make the payments necessary to fulfil the UK's commitment to the Galileo Satellite Project by 24 August; [90698]
(5) what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK's stake in the Galileo Satellite Project if the further payments of funding are (a) made and (b) not made. [90699]
Dr. Ladyman: Member states of the European Space Agency were invited earlier this year to provide further funding to meet the increased requirements of the development phase of the Galileo satellite navigation programme. Ministers have considered collectively the issue of making a further subscription to the Agency for Galileo. Following this my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry asked his officials to inform the Agency that the UK would be contributing an additional €31 million. This decision was notified to the Agency within the agreed subscription period that expired on 24 August. Previous contributions from the UK to the Agency for this programme have been €15.3 million (at 1998 prices) for the definition phase and €95.7 million (at 2001 prices) towards the development and validation phase.
Marine Environment
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many enforcement actions there were related to Coastguard and other agencies' marine protection powers in each of the last five years; and how many (a) prosecutions were brought and (b) convictions were obtained in each year. [91088]
Dr. Ladyman: Figures recorded by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are as follows:
| Investigations | Prosecutions | Convictions | |
It should be noted that these figures relate to pollution from ships into the sea. They do not relate to pollution into harbour authority areas, for which harbour authorities keep separate records. They also do not relate to pollution from land into the sea for which the Environment Agency keeps records.
Rail Infrastructure
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of climate change on rail infrastructure. [90725]
Dr. Ladyman: In 2004, the Department for Transport commissioned a study into the impact of climate change across all transport modes(1) including rail. This work was informed by a climate adaptation study sponsored by the Rail Safety and Standards Board in 2003(2). More recently, DEFRA published a case study considering the potential impact of climate change on the rail sector(3).
In addition to these studies, the Department maintains a close dialogue with Network Rail and other rail industry stakeholders in order to develop a better understanding of climate change risks and mitigation opportunities.
The Department will use this work and other climate change research to inform the development of its long term rail strategy, which will be published in summer 2007.
(1) The Changing Climate: Impact on the Department for Transport
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_science/documents/pdf/dft_science_pdf_027568.pdf
(2) Safety implications of weather, climate and climate change
http://www.rssb.co.uk/pdf/reports/research/safety%20 implications%20of%20weather.%20climate%20and%20 climate %20change.pdf
(3) Railway Industry Case Study
http://www.defra.gov.uk/science/Proiect_Data/Document Library/GA01074/GA01074_3511_ABS.pdf
Sheffield Airport
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps his Department is taking to secure the future of Sheffield airport; and if he will make a statement; [90624]
(2) what assessment he has made of the environmental impact on South Yorkshire of the development of Sheffield Airport. [90625]
Gillian Merron: Sheffield City airport has incurred substantial losses in the past and commercial services were stopped in August 2002, since when it has operated as a general aviation facility with facilities for commercial airlines now available at the nearby Robin Hood airport.
Sheffield city council has received a planning application for a business park on part of the site, leaving the runway accessible to helicopters and light aircraft. The environmental impact of the development is a matter for the local authority to take into account when considering the planning application.
Speed Cameras
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were employed in the Essex camera enforcement office in each year since 1997; and what the annual administrative costs were in each year. [90885]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport does not hold this level of information; it may be available from Essex police.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue speed cameras have generated in Essex in each year since 1997; and how much of that revenue has been spent in Essex. [90886]
Dr. Ladyman: The information on fines and penalties for speeding offences detected by speed cameras in Essex is available for 1999-2003 and is set out in table A which has been provided by the Home Office. I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that his Department’s available information relates to the amount of fines ordered to be paid following speed offences detected by camera, not all of which may have been paid. This table shows all speeding offences in Essex including those detected outside the National Safety Camera Programme in Essex.
Information on the total revenue from offences detected by speed camera is not collected centrally, but an estimate can be made from the number of court imposed fines and fixed penalties and is given in the table from 1997 to 2004 (latest available).
2005 data will be available early in 2007.
| Table A: Fixed penalty and court proceedings data for speeding offences detected by cameras( 1) in the Essex police force area, 1999-2003 | |||||
| Fixed penalties | Court proceedings | ||||
| Offence and year | Number of tickets( 2) | Estimated revenue (£)( 3) | Number of fines | Total amount of fine (£) | Average fine( 4) |
| (1)
Offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Motor
Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973.
(2) Paid i.e. no further action. (3)
Estimate based on £40 fixed penalty charge to October 2000. From
November 2000 the penalty was raised to £60.
(4) Includes cases where fixed penalty notices were originally
issued but not paid and subsequently referred to
court. | |||||
The latest available information on the amount recovered and spent in Essex to cover the costs of the Essex Safety Camera Partnership is set out in table B.
| Table B: Amount recovered from speed and red light camera offences for Essex Safety Camera Partnership costs as part of the National Safety Camera Programme | |
| Financial year | £ |
Terrorism
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the procedures to deal with a serious terrorist alert at London's airports were last exercised prior to August 2006. [90904]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 11 September 2006]: Most recently, the contingency plans were put inplace for BAA London airports following the eventsof 7 July 2005. The National Aviation Security Programme requires the production, development and exercise of security contingency plans by aerodrome managers, aircraft operators and others in the aviation industry. All the London airports regularly undertake their own live and table-top exercises as well as taking part in other agencies' exercises.
Thames Gateway
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding the proposed Thames Gateway bridge. [90824]
Dr. Ladyman: Ministers in the Department have received a limited number of letters from members of the public on the Thames Gateway bridge over recent months, either directly or via MPs.
Thameslink
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the bidders for the renewal of the Thameslink franchise expressed an interest in re-opening the Luton to Dunstable branch line; and why this offer was not taken up. [90705]
Gillian Merron: None of the bidders involved in last year’s competition for the Thameslink/Great Northern franchise offered to invest in re-opening the Luton to Dunstable branch line.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |